Easy Traditional Red Sangria

Perhaps my recollection of that first drink is slightly biased. We’d just arrived to Barcelona from a long, tiring train ride, and then walked what seemed like miles carrying 40-pound backpacks into the city to reach our AirBnB. We were tired and hangry, to say the least.

Our first thought upon dropping our bags was “tapas and sangria.” So off we went in search of sustenance, and what we found was glorious.

Can we all just agree the Spanish do it well, “it” being everything?

Traditionally the Spanish enjoy coffee in the morning, work a little, take an afternoon rest (or siesta), work a little more, then retire in the evening by eating tapas and drinking good wine with the people they love. Eventually, they slumber only to do it all over again the next day. If that doesn’t sound like a slice of heaven, I don’t know what does.

Oh, and did I mention they gifted the world with sangria? Does it get any better than this lush, fruity beverage? I think not.

If you do give it a try, let us know what you think by leaving a comment and rating it so other readers know how much you loved it. And while you’re at it, take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We love seeing what you come up with. Cheers, friends!

Instructions

Add apples, oranges, and sugar to a large pitcher and muddle with a muddler or wooden spoon for 45 seconds.

Add orange juice and brandy and muddle again to combine for 30 seconds.

Add red wine and stir to incorporate, then taste and adjust flavor as needed. I added a bit more brandy, orange juice and brown sugar. Stir to combine.

Add ice and stir once more to chill. Serve as is, or with a bit more ice. Garnish with orange segments (optional).

Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours, though best when fresh.

Notes

*For red wine, I bought the Albero Spanish Red Wine 2014 Monastrell from Trader Joe’s. However, any fruity, full bodied, somewhat-dry red Spanish wine will do.*Recipe adapted from a new favorite of mine, Jamie Oliver Drinks Tube.*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with the lesser amount of brown sugar.

I left the sugar out because I wanted to taste it without sugar first. I don’t like sweet drinks. I made ice cubes with the remaining orange juice and the next day instead of ice, added the frozen OJ ice cubes. I also added a little maple syrup as some sweetener was necessary. What can I say? A very delicious sangria and I like the fact that there was no diluting it with water or soda etc. The fruit was very potent:). Thank you for the recipe. Will definitely make it the same way again. I used a bottle of Apothik red and a Rioja. Next time will use lighter Spanish wine as suggested above.

I made this the night before with two bottles of red and the requisite brandy. My pitcher was full so was only able to get about A quarter cup of OJ in. I added oranges and apples. I left the sugar out because I wanted to taste it without sugar first. I don’t like sweet drinks. I made ice cubes with the remaining orange juice and the next day instead of ice, added the frozen OJ ice cubes. I also added a little maple syrup as some sweetener was necessary. What can I say? A very delicious sangria and I like the fact that there was no diluting it with water or soda etc. The fruit was very potent:). Thank you for the recipe. Will definitely make it the same way again. I used a bottle of Apothik red and a Rioja. Next time will use lighter Spanish wine as suggested above.

I’m not crazy about sweet drinks, but a bit of brown sugar makes this the bomb.com. I may never add simple syrup or other sweeteners to red sangria again. Actually, I think I’ll try brown sugar in an Old Fashioned next. Thanks, Dana!

The first time I had sangria was in Barcelona many years ago. This recipe brought it right back. I only ended up with half a cup of O.J. from squeezing the fruit, but it was delicious and not too sweet. Will definitely make this again. Thanks,

Very easy to make and delicious. We doubled the recipe and added peaches, blackberries, cantaloupe, and cherries since we did not have apples and oranges on hand. The flavors and fruit expand more the longer it sits in the fridge. Highly recommend it!

I made this sangria for a benefit that my organization was hosting. It was a hit. It wasn’t too sweet and it wasn’t too dry. I made two gallons worth (6times the recipe that was made with a total of 6 bottles of wine). I followed the recipe to the tee- except I topped the sangria off with a bit more brandy. I used a cheap Spanish wine found at the grocery store that worked very well and I used Paul Masson brandy.

This is my go to sangria recipe. I use about 1 cup of orange juice and 1/2 cup of brandy and definitely use 4 tablespoons of brown sugar. I like to add about 2 cups of ice to make sure it is really cold–plus I just like it watered down a bit. People really like this recipe and agree that it packs a punch. Many people have never had sangria made with brandy (it seems like a lot of people are more accustomed to having sprite in their recipe). Trader Joe’s has lot of great Spanish sides to serve with it–manchego cheese, jamon serrano and chorizo. Great items to bring to a party when you want something special.

Tried it yesterday to the letter of the recipe. Gotta agree the brandy & wine aromas together instantly said sangria! Used a $9 bottle tempranillo / merlot blend. Was a dee-lish hit with my party pals. Thanks!!

Made this with one full apple, one full orange and also added a full lemon ( all sliced as per recipe) skipped the sugar as I dont like it overly sweet anyways and it was awesome! I used apricot brandy and it was perfect. The bottle of wine I had was a full bodied fruity with notes of blackberry and raspberry in it and I liked it more in this sangria recipe than drinking it on its own! Also liked the fact it doesn’t have sofa or pop in here 🙂 thanx for a great recipe – be warned it packs a punch!!

Wine is Gluten free. Hayley might want to check what the alcohol base is for the brandy. If it’s a wheat based alcohol it would NOT be Gluten free. Rum is totally GF so she might want to use that to be shure.

I think Sangria is one of the most easily adaptable recipes on the planet. The first time I had it was in Faro Portugal after a 20 hr flight. It was fantastic, and wherever we ordered it in Portugal it was a little different, but fantastic. This recipe is a great base, but use what you have. I added strawberries and pineapple to this one and some Triple Sec to sweeten.
Thanks for the great reminder of Portugal.

My Spanish friend said this is identical to her family recipe but over time I’m sure people make their own adaptations to suit their own tastebuds. I personally love it and think it’s on par with a higher end Spanish restaurant rather than the cheap and cheerful ones that merely combine red wine and orange Fanta

Hi! I made a fruit salad (blackberries, oranges, strawberries, kiwis and grapes)(had bananas too but I took those out) for a party but made way too much so I decided to try using the booze components and see how it would be. (I played with how much sugar as well thinking the fruits already had lots of natural sugar and I didn’t mash the fruit since they are soft anyway) Yummy! My hubby now wants me to make extra cut up fruit for every event! (I’d pick out the kiwis too ‘cuz they mushed – after the first glass I didn’t care too much). It’s different than the sangria we had while in Spain but thinking not being in Marbella sitting outside on the Promenade watching the sea might be the missing ingredient!

I’m from South (and I do mean South) Texas, and sangria was a staple at summer BBQs. I had a beautiful Tex-Mex cookbook that had the sangria recipe I’d always used, but it got lost in one of our many moves. This one could easily have been my long lost recipe, as it was exactly as I remembered. Made this to go with a fajita feast, and we loved it. I’m with you on the brandy – for me, it’s just what’s used in sangria. Made with a decent quality Rioja. I did use brown sugar, b/c that’s what I had on hand, and blood oranges/juice – if you can get your hands on them, highly recommend!

Just made this for Thanksgiving dinner! Added a bit more brandy, as suggested, but definitely pretty good! I used a cheap wine, but I personally can’t really tell the difference between cheap and expensive wines, so it worked for me :) Thanks for the recipe!

This is my favorite fall sangria that I always come back to (have already made twice this fall). Have made with pinot, cabernet and shiraz and it’s always delicious. Love the fresh squeezed OJ and I use apple brandy. It’s just so good. I top off with a little bit of seltzer. Thanks for this amazing recipe that is a crowd pleaser and SO easy!

We made this recipe for party this weekend times 6, or 6 bottles of Anciano Tempranillo wine along with Christian Brothers brandy, in a 2.2 gal mason-style jug with spout from World Market. We added the full dose of sugar plus some extra orange juice to just top off, and it filled the jug completely (without ice to marinate). We then transferred to a punch bowl with frozen fruit ring to keep it chilled (water plus fruit maxed out, made in a bundt pan), then added ice to each glass when served. The presentation was beautiful! Even non-sangria drinkers were slugging it down, and everyone commented that it wasn’t too sweet, being their main objection to other sangria’s they have tried. My husband and I ARE sangria lovers and thoroughly enjoyed this recipe! Thought I’d share these details so you don’t have to second guess making a large batch for you next party. I wanted to add a photo here but no option. Thanks, Dana!

I just finished making a double batch. (I was in Spain as well in the 80’s) and have NEVER found anything as good….until now. Easy to make and a great recipe… I tasted I and added a bit more of the brown sugar and the rest of the brandy and it taste great. I didn’t add the ice because I’m concerned with watering it down. I have it in the fridge to cool and will see how great it taste tomorrow. While I was in Spain, I drank from a container with a large pointed spout and they would pour it into our mouth but can’t remember what it was called??? Any ideas? I still have one… :)

It’s called a porron. You can google it and see pictures. I still have a very little one from when I lived in Spain years ago. I spill more on myself than I used to, so I wouldn’t try it with red wine, haha!

“Can we all just agree the Spanish do it well, “it” being everything?” Just loved that hahahaha

Just a tip you forgot to mention: We in Spain usually add the sugar to the sliced fruit and leave it for around 40-50 minutes before adding the wine, then we put it in the fridge for about a couple hours so we don’t need to add a lot of ice ;)

I too had just returned from Spain where I had the most delicious red sangria I’ve ever had. We were in both northern and southern Spain but the sangria was always the same – always delicious! I’ve been home for a month and terribly missing the taste of Spain’s sangria…and then I found this recipe. THANK YOU!!!! I followed the recipe exactly using brandy and white sugar cane and the taste was EXACTLY what I’d been missing since I’ve been home. Perfect blend of smooth, fruity flavors with a full bodied booziness. I made a pitcher for my friends and I and it didn’t last half the night.
I’ve already told my Spain companions about it and I’m bringing some over to them this weekend because they’ve also been searching for a recipe that captures what we drank in Spain. This recipe is 5 stars and will be a favorite to anyone who loves sangria.

this was the very first recipe for red sangria i came upon, and i’m so glad i went with it. other recipes were so complex and requires loads of other ingredients. this one was simple and perfectly delicious. i added a splash more of wine to my glass since it tasted a big “juiced down” from the OJ at first, but i think after letting it chill for a little while and letting the fruits do their “thing” (at least that’s what i think what was happening, haha), the sangria was absolutely perfect. it’s definitely better than the $8 glass of homemade sangria i order from my local french restaurant. it was my first time making any type of sangria and i’ll gladly be keeping this recipe to use over and over!

I’m not sure you can’t keep it more than 48 hours, it should be fine for longer – all you must do is remove any rind-on citrus fruit from the mixture within 8 hours or so, or the oils will leave a bitter taste behind. The brandy fortifies the wine, so it really doesn’t spoil too quickly. I usually divide the brandy quantity into brandy and cointreau.
Keep refrigerated, add a splash of soda and some ice when serving. Dee-licious!

This is my FAVORITE Sangria recipe – I make it more than I should probably admit. I remove the fruit from it after 24 hours so it keeps a little longer in the fridge. SO FREAKING GOOD. Just watch out, it catches up with you quickly!

This is DELICIOUS! I’ve made it at least three times. One of my good friends is from Spain – there’s a restaurant in Boston we visit often, as it’s the closest thing to authentic Spanish food, and this sangria is better than what they serve there!

We drank Sangria every night on the beach in Barcelona. They offer it as traditional, which compares to your recipe, or with a sparkling white wine. I search for a recipe hoping to find the best wine to use. I can’t wait to see if I can duplicate the one we loved in Spain. Any idea on what wine to use to make the sparkly version? Thanks

We were in Seville in the summer, 2016, and we drank pitchers of this wonderful, satisfying drink. In one restaurant, they added canned fruit cocktail (I recognized the sad grapes) and even it was delicious. Your recipe is a righteous reproduction that I will enjoy now that I am back in the states.

Made this for a Christmas party and followed the recipe as written and it was fantastic! My daughter had been to Spain in May and said this Sangria was exactly what she had in Barcelona! It will be my go to for sure!

Belated thanks for a recipe that had my friends raving and a bit tipsy this summer. I made it multiple times, using different combinations of wine and fruit, and it was always outstanding. “Wait, you MADE this??”

I love this recipe! I made it with a Spanish Monastrell like you recommended above, but I found one that is vegan and made with organic grapes!! I can’t wait to spice it up with cinnamon sticks and star anise and make this for all my holiday get togethers :)

Your Sangri recipe looks so amazingly simple, but for most recipes making a larger quantity is more complicated than just doubling or tripling the ingredients. So, now I want to make a large batch. What changes would you suggest to make a bathtub full?

I made this drink for Thanksgiving 2016. I was asked to again make it for Christmas eve 2016 and I did.
I am now asked to make it again for Thanksgiving 2017. I will. I am not using Spanish wine, I am using Carlo Rossi – Burgundi.

This was a terrific recipe! Made it the night before and took it camping! Perfect! Thanks so much for sharping.

I’m glad I hung in there after reading the opening comments – it was worth it! Meaning: approximately 40% of young people in Spain are unemployed. Catalonia also wants to succeed from the country. So the’re not necessarily doing “it” right, but I get it. You’re in Spain and excited. Most people are excited in a different country! Sounds like a blast!

Thank you for the recipe! This was wonderful. I used Tuaca (a sweet Italian brandy), a tangerine, and a Honeycrisp apple. We were out of orange juice, so I improvised with an all-fruit no-sugar-added tangerine popsicle. It turned out great – my friend said that should be my secret ingredient every time I make it. Sorry I tossed the bottle before reviewing and can’t remember the exact wine, but it was a Tempranillo in the $12 range. Wonderful! thank you again

Whoa!! I was never one for Sangria, but lately I’ve been trying it at restaurant only to find they add no fresh fruit, so imagine the disappointment on my face when it arrive to my table. I am currently watching the RHOD (something I usually don’t watch) and they were drinking sangria, so I thought I’d look up a recipe and came across yours!!

Luckily my daughter just had asked me to buy OJ, so I had that and everything else on hand(including only one bottle on Spanish wine that to my wine club membership), so it seemed that the stars were aligning and telling me to Make. The. Wine. so make the wine I did and WOW!! Just took my first sip and before enjoying the rest I wanted to leave you and everyone else a comment noting how delicious this is!!

*I didn’t have an orange on hand, but had a cantaloupe, so cut it up and added that instead. I would imagine if I had an orange it would have been even more flavorful.

I am not a Sangria drinker at all. Even when I was in Spain – – nope, not even one sip. I had this at a friend’s party last summer, and then again about one month ago, and loved it. Asked her for the recipe and am making it for my niece and her family this week. She adores Sangria – – so I know she will love this too. Thank you.

This recipe would be acceptable if and only IF it didn’t mention to serve it right after making it. How much flavor do you think you can get from an apple right after putting it in wine? Sangria must sit in the fridge at least overnight and NEVER…NEVER put ice in a red wine, what a crime.
If you marinate your fruits overnight not only do you get more flavor but also the alcohol level rises due to the sugar from the fruits. This drink is not be be drank lightly as you will get drunk very easily with it (been there, done that, got the Tshirt).
French Chef

A m a z i n g! I’m drinking it right now. I used the brandy as suggested and it’s perfect. The only difference is I added some canned peaches and mangos to the fresh apples and oranges. Perfect drink for an afternoon summer in south Florida! Thank you so much.

Just got home from Spain a few days ago and was really missing the sangria. Found your recipe, which was super easy to make with minimum ingredients, gave it a shot and voila! It tasted almost exactly the same as some of the sangria I had over there. I did add a little bit of sprite as well. Thank you for this!

I’ve made this sangria the past two weekends for parties, and it was a HUGE hit! I live in Germany, so I used a German red wine. I didn’t have any brandy or rum, but I did had some German apricot liquour, and it was SO yummy! It was fun to put a German spin on a Spanish drink – but I served it in my sangria pitcher from Spain. :) I made it early in the day, and let it sit in the fridge for several hours, so it was nice and cold for the parties. Everyone who tried it loved it. I’ve shared the recipe many times!

I made this today with some modifications and it was great, just replaced apple with sliced organic strawberries and added some sweet organic red grapes. Should have sliced them in half, but the strawberries were beautifully soaked with the red wine. Used Italian Sangiovese and instead of brandy I used Bourbon (Larceny) and named it American sangria. Everybody loved it!

I just made this to take to a dinner party in a few hours!!!! Super easy, and although I have had Sangria many times (some in Spain) I have never taken the time to learn to make it myself….. WHY NOT??? It was super easy, and although I have not shared it with the others yet, it definitely passes me “quality control” test! I made it exactly as the recipe ~ well, triple though ;-)))) and I’m going to add the ice when I transfer it to the serving pitcher. Thanks for this!!! Next time I am invited to a party I’ll say “I’ll bring the Sangria!!!!” :-))))

I really liked this recipe. I have never made sangria before and it was super easy. However, I used a whole apple, a whole orange, and added in some grapes, though this may be too much fruit for some (I suggested adding half the apple/orange like the recipe above says and then add more if you want more). I used Stella Rosa – Red as the wine and used Spiced Rum instead of brandy. Was super delicious. Will definitely be making this again.

As I write this, I have a gallon pitcher of this waiting for me. I’ve made this sangria at least 10 times now, and I am so in love with it! My mom tells me that it tastes just like what she drank all over Spain. Thank you so much for this!

My Aunt gave me the perfect Sangria recipe years ago and I’ve passed it on to my children. It heralds the beginning g of summer each time I take out the punch bowl. My mum made it for my Hen night when I got married 45 years ago and it never fails to impress. Unfortunately the secret ingredient is just that ….secret. I tried to replace it with Pimms on a few occasions but my guests were having none of it.

Fantastic!! We made this for a family reunion and it was a tremendous hit. You can’t believe how many people asked for the recipe. We used Apricot Brandy and made it the night before. It was chilled overnight and put out with a bowl of ice next to the dispenser for adding, if wanted.

This is very similar to a recipe taught to me by my Spanish sister from another mister. The only differences are that we always include sliced lemons along with the oranges and apples, plus we throw in whatever fruit looks good (my favorites are firm plums and nectarines.) We use pomegranate syrup, think Torani or Monin, instead of sugar. And top it all off with a splash of something fizzy, usually mineral water or San Pellegrino Aranciata.

This recipe is perfect. Having recently returned from a Spanish holiday where I drank copious amounts of authentic Spanish sangria, I was keen to have a go at making it myself for a barbecue today. It went down a treat with my guests and I loved it!! I just added a tiny bit more orange juice & a spoon more of sugar.

Vancouver BC having its short hot spell. Made this tonight substituting local peaches and strawberries for the apple. (Kept all the oranges though) Moderately priced spanish red and moderately priced brandy. Delicious.

We’re having a heat wave here in CT.
Invited friends to spend the afternoon & have dinner.
What to serve to drink? I know, Sangria!! Summery & refreshing.
Thank you, Dana, for this delicious recipe.
We all enjoyed the Sangria. We used spoons to eat the wine soaked fruit. It looks so pretty in the glass pitcher.
Our friends just left raving about the Sangria.
Nice way to survive a heat wave.

This is just the best sangria recipe. I initially made it without OJ and had to run out and grab some because it was so boozey strong (I used white rum) and needed that sweet juice balance. So incredible – thanks for sharing!

We picked up a bottle of Christian Brothers brandy, which was great for this recipe. For wine, almost any Garnacha or Tempranillo will be great. No need to go spendy on it – somewhere in the $8-$12 range is great!

Nice site Dana!
We just purchased a rather blah Pinot Noir. It’s drinkable, but weak for a Pinot.
I immediately thought of Sangria and your recipe popped up on google.
You had me at “traditional”… I just made it and it’s wonderful!
Thank you!

ps: I only had blackberry brandy on hand, but I think I’ll stick with blackberry in the future as it’s pretty yummy ;-)

Hi, Dana – I definitely need to try this soon! I love the short recipe list – most sangria recipes seem too complicated for my taste. Quick question – what would you recommend using in place of brandy? Thank you :)

Good set of ingredients, should be good as a drink. Thought I would add a few comments on Sangria like drinks in Spain to give you readers a bit more background:

Spanish wines tended to be strong, and I mean strong. So as you rightly say the best wine for a Sangria is strong wine. I often go for the cheapest, as it should be something you can cut with a knife.

As they are strong there are quite a few drinks out there that are a way of making a lighter drink, both in terms of flavour and alcohol content, of the strong wine. Here are a few examples:

Vino con gaseosa.
Gaseosa is a lemonade, bit like 7-up or Sprite. Mix half and half with red wine. Very common at a meal time in many Spanish bars.

Calimocho.
Wine and Coca-Cola. Often drunk at parties. The wine keeps you happy, the Coca-Cola keeps you awake!

Sangria.
Wine, fizzy orange, fruit and ice. Yes of course you can tart it up with spirits and in a bar that is probably how it would come. At home though, 50% wine, 50% fizzy orange, lots of ice and some fruit.

Sopetas
Wine and peaches in syrup. Just open a tine of peaches in syrup and pour into the wine. Serve in a large bowl with a ladle. It goes down far too well, must be the syrup from the peaches. This one should have a health warning.

Hi Dana! I live in Valencia, Spain, and here we add almost every fruit we can find to the sangria (peaches, strawberries, lemons…). We also add a mixture of liquors, which may not be the wisest thing, but sangria is usually drank to get drunk. The best part of drinking sangria is actually eating all the soaked fruit :) Oh and finally, we usually chill the sangria instead of adding ice, so that all the flavours are allowed to develop during the chilling time and so that the sangria doesn’t end watery! xx

Hi, during my visits to Spain I was introduced to sangria and since then I am stuck to it! I prefer to try it in local pubs. I observed the preparation. Kiwi, grapes, oranges and peaches were crushed together without their skin. I don’t like cut fruits in sangria. When I made it at home, I followed it exactly and kept it for soaking and chilling. I had used India’s Goan port wine alongwith rum but I think Spanish wine. Tasted heaven!

I don’t drink very much but I had a dream about making the most delicious pineapple and mint mojito (I don’t even know if that’s what goes in a mojito?!) and then I wake up to this. I think I’m going to have an arrival for spring party in a month and serve this sangria and some mojitos. Iv’e pinned it already!

Yum! I love sangria. I never order it because it’s always too sweet – so this recipe looks perfect for me. I can’t wait to try it. I have some good red wine at home just begging for it. Thx again for the inspiration :)

I’m always intimidated by sangria, I don’t know why! It’s so delicious, it’s one of those things that always tastes better when someone else makes it ;) I’ll have to give this a try though, you make it look so easy!

My wife says I’m a incredibly cranky man. But maybe when I’m working, if she brought me this drink I’d be a bit happier, you never know!! I will be sharing this recipe with her. I mean, I’m just ripping out drywall and putting in insulation and she keeps to sip something like this by the pool with the kids. Go figure. Lush is just the right word for this perky drink. Thanks Dana!

Oh my gosh you’re the best! I came home from Spain 1 week ago and was craving some Sangria ever since . This recipe sounds super easy and yet the Sangria looks amazing – will give this ago very soon :)